Hair curler and method of using



1968 J. LECLABART 3,363,634 v HAIR CURLER AND METHOD OF USING Filed Feb. 15, 1965 F164 F19 F|G.3

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United States Patent 3,363,634 HAIR CURLER AND METHOD OF USING Jean Leclabart, 53 Ave. Raymond Poincare, Paris, France Filed Feb. 15, 1965, Ser. No. 432,747 Claims priority, application France, Feb. 19, 1964, 964,420 2 Claims. (Cl. 132-7) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A curler for use in permanent waving of hair has a cylindrical portion for helical winding of a part of a strand of hair and a frusto conical part for winding the remaining length of the strand of hair concentrically in successive layers to the scalp. A winder is mounted for rotation on the cylindrical body portion and engages the strand of hair to form the helicoidal Winding thereon.

Hair curlers or hair rollers at present used for permanent waving are generally of two different types.

One of them is in the form of a cylindrical rod. The hair attached by small strands to their roots is secured as close as possible to the scalp to one of the ends of the rod and then wound spirally along the rod, the tip of the strand being held in place by a tie. This helical method of winding gives a relatively loose style which is easy to comb out.

The second type of hair curler or roller is in the form of a spindle of variable diameter, the diameters at the ends of the spindle being larger than the diameter of the central part. The hair separated into strands is wound concentrically beginning at the tip, in successive layers as far as the roots, and then are held by an appropriate looking system. This method of rolling the hair gives a hair style which is of smaller diameter at the tip of the hair than at the roots, so that the curl at the tips is tighter and more difficult to comb out. On the other hand, this systern has the advantage that the hair can be rolled with a greater tension so that the resultant hair-style is stronger and more resistant.

The hair curler or hair roller according to the invention satisfies the present-day tendency for a looser hairstyle or curl towards the tip of the hair in order to facilitate combing out and give the impression of a natural hair-style, and a stronger and tighter curl or style near the root of the hair to give the style volume.

According to the invention, the curler or roller body comprises a cylindrical part for helical winding of the hair and a system comprising a detachable combined roller and gripper element adapted to rotate and slide on the cylindrical part to lock a length of hair as far as the tip of the strand thereof, and a curved part for winding the remaining length of the strand of hair as far as the scalp.

One specific embodiment of a mixed" hair-curler or roller according to the invention is described hereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawings wherein:

FIGURE 1 shows the hair-curler or roller body,

FIGURES 2 and 3 are respectively a profile and end view of the roller element,

FIGURE 4 shows an alternative embodiment of the curler in which the curler body is screwth-readed,

FIGURES 5, 6, 7, 8 and 9 show successive stages of use of the curler, and

FIGURE 10 is a sectional view to a larger scale of an alternative embodiment of the roller element.

The body of the hair curler or roller shown in FIGURE 1 is made by moulding and comprises a cylindrical part 1a and a substantially frusto-conical curved part 1b,

which may be formed with flutes 1c to facilitate handling. The parts In and 112 may be separated by a flange 1d; a second flange 1e may be provided at the other end of the cylindrical part 1a. The curler or roller body is provided with two lugs 17 to receive a retaining means for the rolled strands of hair.

The cylindrical part 1a is adapted to receive a combined roller and gripper element 2 shown in FIGURES 2 and 3 and comprising a hollow cylindrical element 2a, the end 212 of which is formed with an aperture 20 of a diameter substantially equal to 'the diameter of the part 1a of the roller or curler body. At its other end the memher 2 is so profiled as to form a notch 2d between the hollow part 2a and a hook 2e. A slot 2 enables the element 2 to be opened up slightly so that it can be fitted over the part 1a of the roller or curler body.

Projections 2g facilitate handling of the element 2.

In the alternative embodiment shown in FIGURE 4, part 1a of the roller body is formed with a helical ramp 1g in which engages a lug 2h which is integral with the element 2, the purpose of this arrangement being to give an axial movement of constant value for each turn of the element 2.

The above-described roller or curler is used as follows:

The element 2 is placed over the cylindrical part 1a of the roller body and brought into a position of abutment against the flange 1d. The tip of a strand of hair 3 is introduced from the side into the notch 2d between the roller body :and the hook 22, which exerts a resilient retaining force (FIGURE 5).

The element 2 is then rotated so that the strand of hair 3 is wound helically (FIGURE 6); at the end of the movement, which is limited by the flange 1e, or in an intermediate position, the tip of the strand. remains clamped by the hook 2e thus ensuring retention of the strand wound on the roller body (FIGURE 7). If the roller is then turned on itself the strand portion 4 situated between the roller and the scalp is wound concentrically in successive layers on the curved part 1b of the roller body (FIGURE 8), the resultant roll being locked by a retaining element 111, such as a rubber band or a clip, which is secured ot the lugs 1 (FIGURE 9).

This type of roll enables cold or hot perms to be carried out. For the latter, a heater element, for example a heater sleeve, is placed on the roller after the hair has been rolled.

The heater element may be of a size such that it possibly covers only part of the roller, so that some of the length of the hair Wound on the roller is not heated, for example.

After the hairdressing operation the hook 2e is lifted to free the strand and the roller body can be withdrawn from the hair.

The choice of length and diameter of the curved part of the roller body in relation to the length and diameter of the cylindrical part predetermines the strand length and the tightness of the wave in the hair adjacent the scalp.

Also, particularly in the case of long hair, the roller enables just a selected length of hair from the scalp to be waved. To this end just the strand lengths which it is required to wave are rolled by means of the roller and gripper element.

The roller and gripper element shown to a larger scale in FIGURE 10 differs from the above-described only in that it includes a locking element which prevents it from rotating in the direction of unwinding the rolled strand.

To this end, it has a helical spring 2h disposed centrally in the bore of the hollow element 2a and adapted to come into contact with part 1a of the roller body, said spring being angularly retained in a notch 2i provided Patented Jan. 16, 1968 in the hollow element 2a. A collar 2i fitted over the hollow element 2a retains the spring 211 axially.

Since the direction in which the turns of the spring 2h are wound is the same as the direction of rotation of the combined roller and gripper element for rolling the strands of hair, the spring 5h can turn on the roller body during the rolling of the hair but is locked as soon as the gripper element tends to turn in the opposite direction.

Of course the arrangement could be reversed, i.e., the spring 2h could be angularly retained by the roller body and would provide locking by expansion in the bore of the hollow element 211. Any other unidirectional locking system could also be used, for example a pawl system, a ball eystem, etc.

What I claim is:

1. Roller for waving hair comprising a cylindrical body portion, a substantially frusto-conical body portion coaxial with said cylindrical body portion, and of increasing diameter towards its free end, a winder mounted for rotation on said cylindrical body portion and a shoulder between said body portions for axially positioning said winder before rolling a strand of hair, said winder having means for providing helicoidal windings of the strand of hair on said cylindrical body portion toward the free end thereof and said conical body portion upon rotation of the roller providing concentric winding of the strand of hair between the helicoidal windings and the scalp.

2. Process for waving hair comprising the steps of separating a strand of hair at a distance from the scalp, winding the strand helically on a cylindrical body portion of a roller toward the end of the strand, fastening the helicoidal windings on the roller, then rolling the remainder of the strand on a conical body portion of the roller in concentric windings by rotating the roller with the length of the strand extending toward the scalp.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,652,279 12/1927 Jacobs 132-33.1 1,760,320 5/1930 Santurello 132-331 1,889,227 11/1932 Sterling 13233.1 2,127,458 8/1938 Bezzenberger 13233 2,743,731 5/1956 Cleek 13242 FOREIGN PATENTS 419,961 11/1934 Great Britain.

L. W. TRAPP, Primary Examiner. 

